Latest news with #LaPalomento
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The internet exploded over this 7-year-old's spray tan—but the parenting debate runs deeper
My daughter is the only girl in a family with four brothers, and whether through nature or nurture, she's determinedly girly. Even without much prompting from me, she seeks out all things pink and sparkly. For her eighth birthday, I took her and a friend for manicures. Our house was recently awash in pink for a summer Taylor Swift–themed sleepover. She even has her own tube of mascara she sometimes swipes on, even though she's not yet nine. Related: A one-word hack that changes how we teach kids about makeup I know it can make people uncomfortable to see a little girl wearing makeup—there's this sense that it's not 'appropriate,' that it's rushing childhood. But for me, I try to see it as a phase, a form of play. I don't lavish praise on her for looking pretty, but I also don't want to shame her for enjoying these things. That's why when I read about a mom who took her 7-year-old daughter for a spray tan and got torn apart online, it felt surprisingly relatable. Because honestly? Deciding when (or if) to let our daughters dabble in these 'grown-up' beauty rituals isn't black and white. Makeup. Shaving. Hair blowouts. Highlights. Even nail polish. All of these are little milestones moms navigate. And in a world that will judge our girls no matter what they do—too much makeup, not enough, too plain, too flashy—what if we just let them choose what makes them feel best? Every family will be different. I've chosen to follow my daughter's lead, and keep the focus on fun and play. When New Jersey mom Noel LaPalomento posted a TikTok of her daughter Giada's first spray tan, she probably didn't expect to go viral. But with more than 2 million views, it became an instant battleground. Some commenters were appalled. @thalia wrote, 'Why are we normalizing this?'. Another @Charley said, '(Cough she doesn't need a spray tan cough)'. But others rushed to defend her, saying it was safer than sunbathing and a sweet mom-daughter memory. 'It's so good to teach her she can get a spray tan and not damage her skin with sun exposure! Sunscreen and spray tans!!' said @Cailtyn. LaPalomento herself didn't seem too bothered by the uproar. She told TODAY: 'There was no specific reason for it other than just letting her experience what it's like for fun — it's completely harmless.' Related: Mom thought her toddler was playing quietly—then he did the 'unthinkable' This debate goes deeper than one little girl getting a temporary tan. It's about a bigger, trickier issue: How do parents encourage self-expression in our daughters without pushing adult beauty standards too early? LaPalomento argued the haters were overreacting: 'In all honesty, I think the internet gets triggered quite easily these days, especially when it comes to the way people choose to parent their children.' And let's be honest: there is a generational divide here. Plenty of us remember being kids who raided our mom's makeup drawer, slathered on Bonne Bell lip gloss, and strutted in plastic heels. But we also know the world our daughters are growing up in is more image-obsessed than ever. Pediatricians and child psychologists generally agree that there's no harm in a single spray tan—especially when precautions are taken. Dr. Elizabeth Houshmand told TODAY that spray tans are generally considered safe for children, though she does not necessarily recommend spray tans for kids. Experts also emphasize the developmental value of pretend play. Child development experts note that pretend play offers children a rich opportunity to express creativity while building key social and emotional skills. Research shows that kids who regularly engage in imaginative play tend to develop stronger emotional awareness and regulation over time. And honestly? Both my sons and my daughters have LOVED playing with mommy's makeup. This viral debate also exposes just how impossible the standards are for modern moms. We're supposed to let our kids express themselves—but not too much. Encourage confidence—but not vanity. Preserve their childhood—but prepare them for the world. And we're supposed to make these judgment calls while the entire internet stands by, ready to pounce. What one mom sees as a fun, silly memory, another sees as a step toward adultification. What one kid experiences as play, another might interpret as a sign she has to change herself to be 'pretty.' It's not that there's a right or wrong answer. It's that parenting—especially parenting girls—means constantly walking this tightrope. If you're navigating this yourself (or know you will be), here are some recommendations: Emphasize play. Make clear beauty routines are just for fun. Discuss messages. Talk about where ideas of 'pretty' come from, and who profits off them. Avoid shaming curiosity. Don't make it taboo or dirty. Model balance. Let kids see you caring for yourself without obsessing over flaws. Set thoughtful boundaries. Saying 'not yet' can be an act of love, too. Because ultimately, it's not about banning beauty treatments. It's about helping kids see their worth in a world that keeps trying to sell them 'fixes.' Parenting decisions like this aren't easy. They're full of nuance, family values, and kid-by-kid judgment calls. My own choice is to let my daughter take the lead, seeing beauty play as just that—play. I don't want her to think she has to look a certain way. But I also don't want to shame her for wanting sparkles and mascara. So when I saw that mom get flamed online for a single spray tan trip with her daughter? I didn't see a scandal. I saw another mom, trying her best to navigate this messy, contradictory, image-obsessed world, one moment at a time. And maybe that's the most honest part of all.
New York Post
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
NJ influencer slammed after taking her 7-year-old daughter to spray tan: ‘Do we not say no anymore?'
New Jersey-dwelling momfluencer Noel LaPalomento is no stranger to mother-daughter makeover sessions — face masks, nail salons, and try-on hauls seem to be staples in the family's household. The glam Garden Stater has racked up a following of 2.6M users on her TikTok account, @_the1stnoel, and frequently posts content featuring her 7-year-old, Giada. In fact, almost all of her top-performing videos, with tens of millions of views each, see the 28-year-old styling her sidekick's hair in a series that has become beloved by LaPalomento's followers. Advertisement 3 'Sometimes kids see what moms do and want to follow suit! It's normal and sweet to do activities together,' commented a viewer under the original TikTok video. Instagram/@noellapalomento The diva-esque duo's latest adventure? A trip to the tanning salon — and some followers weren't along for the ride. The comment section commotion kicked off after LaPalomento posted a TikTok joking about Giada asking to join her mom for a spray tan. Advertisement As influencers tend to do, the TikTokker showed off the session, posting a second video detailing the salon experience, followed by a final post dedicated to the much-anticipated results. LaPalomento clarified in the video series that the spray tan ingredients were 'just sugar and water,' and that Giada's aunt was the spray tan artist who was featured in the video, but unsurprisingly, the Internet was irate over the light-hearted videos. 'Do we not say no anymore?' quipped a disapproving viewer. Advertisement Though this particular comment racked up over 50,000 likes, it also prompted several replies defending the momfluencer. 'Do we not mind our own business anymore?' retorted one user, while another responded: 'Why would she? It's not like anyone is going to get hurt,' referring to the natural ingredients in the tanning solution and family supervision. 'I didn't even know what a spray tan was at 7…' said another shocked commenter. 3 Spray tanning is often considered the healthiest mode of artificial tanning, as it doesn't expose the skin to harmful UV rays, unlike outdoor sunbathing and tanning beds. Flamingo Images – Advertisement Many critics expressed concern about the 7-year-old's sense of self-esteem and health as a result of exposure to makeup and beauty treatments, but LaPalomento was quick to address this backlash in a separate video. 'I just feel like it sets a certain beauty standard at a young age,' worried a viewer. 'I don't agree,' the momfluencer replied. 'She knows makeup, nails, etc, is just for fun and a way to express yourself and be creative.' 3 LaPalomento posted a video of the 7-year-old's spray tan reveal, and viewers were amused to see the child's outfit included ultra-trendy Labubu plushes. TikTok/@_the1stnoel Other mothers sounded off in the comments of the original series and shared similar opinions. 'I'd rather get my kid a spray tan than have them lie out in the sun. She looks so cute!' said one reply, while another reminisced: 'My mom and I always did what we called Paris Hilton day once a month: spray tan, nails, shopping, lunch.' 'Your parenting style is exactly who I aspire to be as a mother!!!!' gushed a fan. 'It's so refreshing seeing you let her live her best life and be herself and experience girlhood love you for that.' Advertisement Meanwhile, dozens of users took to the comments just looking for the location of the tanning salon. 'That is the most perfect looking spray tan I've ever seen,' replied one covetous commenter. Though LaPalomento's decision caught plenty of flak from haters, her no-judgment approach to letting her daughter explore different methods of self-expression also won her support from viewers — many of whom left replies mocking critics. 'This is actually so dangerous because she might grow up to be a baddie who loves experiencing things with her mom,' said one sardonic commenter, while another wrote: 'This is so WRONG!!!!! Simply because I didn't get to join this iconic girls' day.' Advertisement Others simply emphasized the role that artificial tanning plays in Jersey culture. 'They don't realize we're just from New Jersey,' affirmed a fellow Garden State native, while another astute NJer said: 'Once I heard the accents I was like, 'Oh okay she's in the hands of a professional.'' The professionals in question — Glow Lab in Sewell, NJ — use spray tanning tech that is naturally derived, and doesn't contain parabens, gluten, sulfates, mineral oils, or nut oils, making it a much safer alternative to the beds that took over tanning culture in the 2000s. The Post has reached out to LaPalomento for comment.
